Abraham Lincoln is one of the great American orators. The 16th president certainly had a way with words, whether it was addressing the nation or just jotting down his thoughts. Join me as we take a look at 15 of my favorite Lincoln quotes.
Religion
“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
I do admire Abraham Lincoln’s tact, even when addressing concerns.
Honesty
“You can fool at the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
There is something to be said about the way Abraham Lincoln viewed the common person.
Character
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it, the tree is the real thing.”
I love this quote because perception through second-hand accounts can color the way we interpret our relationships.
Resolve
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”
Abraham Lincoln certainly understood what it meant to stand firm and go forward.
Mercy
“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”
You can only wonder what Reconstruction would have looked like under Abraham Lincoln.
Procrastination
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”
It seems like so many great quotes can be summarized as just doing what you need to do now.
Happiness
“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Happiness is subjective, simply put.
Hope
“My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of Earth.”
This one strikes a sad note given how ravaged the country became during the American Civil War under Abraham Lincoln’s presidency.
Staying the Course
“I’m a slow walker, but I never walk back.”
Sometimes you just have to keep moving forward without dwelling on what has happened.
Preparation
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
Proper preparation seems to be the key to tackling any task according to Abraham Lincoln.
Legislation
“The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly.”
This is a wry quip, but ultimately something that holds true.
Sermons
“When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees.”
I love the mental image this one conjures up.
Voting
“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”
Using your voice is always going to be stronger than violence.
People
“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great is to bring them the real facts.”
Abraham Lincoln’s view of the people is something that I think more politicians should have.
Growth
“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.”
No matter what your forebears did in life, your life is your own.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Sergii Figurnyi/Shutterstock.com.